BONUS PROJECT: "FALL FEST" CARD SET

Summer is just about over, and it’s time to be thinking about Fall. This card set is centered on the Fall season, and the box is made with the Gift Box Punch Board. There are six cards in this set, along with matching envelopes made with the Envelope Punch Board. This box set would make a great gift, and would also make a great card class.

The talented Christy Fulk designed this project and if there's one thing that she can be counted on to deliver, it's a colorful and useful project!  This lovely project definitely gets me ready for falling leaves and cooler weather!  Christy's awesome project is actually the September Bonus Project at Craft Project Central.  Qualifying for the bonus tutorial is easy . . . just subscribe to two or more months in a row, put the Craft Project Central badge on your blog, or refer a friend to the site.  When your friend subscribes, just let us know!

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

Today's MISM project is a fun little Halloween card featuring the following Stampin' Up! products:

Card Stock:  Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Basic Black, Blushing Bride

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Blendabilities Markers (Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight)

Stamp Set:  Holiday Home

Punch:  Owl Builder, 2-1/2" Circle, 1-1/4" Circle, 1-3/8" Circle

Sizzix:  Homemade Holiday Framelits

I apologize for the quality of the photo as I know the colors do not show true.  It was late when I whipped up this card, but I had fun with it.  The punch art cat (with an oversized nose--oops!!!) was a lot of fun and so, so easy.  This could very well be the last Halloween card that I post because my focus needs to quickly shift to Christmas projects.  It always seems that summer ends and . . . BAM! . . . no time for Halloween and Thanksgiving--the mad dash begins to get many things complete before Christmas.  And I do love Christmas!

"ARTFULLY SENT" SWING/FLIP CARD

Admittedly, I'm a sucker for CTMH's Cricut cartridges and, when the newest one (Artfully Sent) arrived last week, I took it for a spin and made this card to send to my parents.  This is the only card that I've made so far with the cartridge, but it looks like most of the designs are supposed to end up as 5" x 7" cards, which seem quite large after years of making A2 sized cards.  ;-)  I could be wrong about the recommended size for the cards, but I definitely saw several that were the larger size.  

It's probably too soon to give a true opinion and I've not used the cartridge enough to pass fair judgement, but my instant opinion of this cartridge isn't quite as exciting as its three predecessors and for one main reason . . . I feel that for this particular card, there should have been a few companion (layering) cuts available--at least the cloud!  Sheesh!  I had to create that cut myself and then I cut black card stock and Stampin' Up!'s Champagne glimmer paper to place behind the interior layer.  This wasn't a problem, but it did make the card a little more fussy.  I also used Stampin' Up!'s Word Bubbles Framelits and Just Sayin' stamp set to create the "love ya" feature.  One advantage to the cut-outs for this particular card is that I now have extra pieces (heart, circles, Scottie dog) that I can use on another card.  Everything that I saw about this cartridge (in writing or video) prior to purchasing it seemed to drive home the message that it's all about card-making, which is fine with me.  Please don't misinterpret my expressed opinion after making one card from the cartridge--I'm just sharing my first thoughts, and it's entirely possible that I have missed or overlooked quite a few things.  I will definitely work with the cartridge again and expect to love it as much as I love the three that came before it.  :-)

"KINDA ECLECTIC" ENSEMBLE

This gift set is fun and unique. It includes a hand-stamped bowl, earrings, a gift box, and a coordinating card. The bowl makes a fun little catch-all for your jewelry or other small items.

Kinda Eclectic is one of my favorite new stamp sets from Stampin' Up!, and Boni Montano has put this stamp set to work with her creative and pretty ensemble.  Her complete tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.  Did you subscribe yet?

"HEY THERE" OWL-SHAPED CARD

It seems like it's been a while since I made a shaped card, so I went to the Cricut Craft Room today, chose this cute owl image (from the Art Philosophy cartridge), and created this fun shaped card.

I was excited to find the large wiggle eyes, which were almost a perfect fit.  Of course, I had to use a few Stampin' Up! products, too . . . Word Bubbles Framelits, Just Sayin' stamp set, Champagne Glimmer paper (I really, really love this paper!!!!), and Feathers Framelits. 

HALLOWEEN FRAME & CARD

It’s that spooky time of year!  This frame is the perfect décor for any home…just put a picture of your little goblin inside! Or . . . pair it with the card, and you'll have a perfect Halloween gift!

The tutorial for this really cute ensemble, which was designed by Heidi King, can be found at Craft Project Central.  Wouldn't this be a neat gift to receive?  It would make a great decoration year after year.

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

Today's MISM project features one of my favorite stamp sets from the current Stampin' Up! catalog . . . Work of Art.  The images in this stamp set don't look very remarkable; however, they are so versatile and fun to use.  To make this card, I used four colors of ink (Old Olive, Soft Sky, Black, and Hello Honey) and five images from the stamp set.  It's a one-layer card, and it's not boring.  I'd call that a successful MISM card!

Work of Art

STAINED GLASS LANTERN & CARD

Brighten up your fall décor with this lovely and bright stained glass lantern. The jewel-toned windows are sure to brighten up your space. Give this lovely lantern as a gift to someone extra special with the matching card.

WOW!  Is this project beaming with color or what?  And that lantern is simply adorable!  Amanda designed this project, and her tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.  

CREATING PRETTY CARDS - SKETCH CHALLENGE #39

Have you made something yet for Craft Project Central's Creating Pretty Cards - Sketch Challenge #39?  I recently posted this card that I made for the challenge, and today I have another one to share where I altered the orientation of the sketch:

Is it cheating when you use a sketch to get started and then alter the sketch?  No, not at all!  Why don't you use the following sketch and create something pretty today?  Don't forget to share it at Craft Project Central!

My card features the following Stampin' Up! products:

Card Stock:  Whisper White, Coastal Cabana

Ink:  Coastal Cabana and Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blendabilities Markers; Memento Tuxedo Black 

Stamp Sets:  Hi There, Bloom with Hope

Sizzix:  Lovely Lace embossing Folder, Banners Framelits

Accessories:  Small Scallop rotary blade, Coastal Cabana thick twine, All Abloom DSP stack, rhinestone jewels (oops!  I forgot them, but I'm going to add them now)

"TAP TAP TAP" SCREEN CARD & JOURNAL

This fun screen card can be altered to any occasion you like!  These cards are easy to assemble and are definitely a “wow card”.  The coordinating Journal just adds the right touch!

How cute is this Folding Screen card?!?!  This project was designed by Laurie, and her tutorial is available at Craft Project Central.  It's been another great month for awesome tutorials at Craft Project Central, and there are more to come.  Have you subscribed yet?

BUTTERFLY MOBILE & CARD

Make this sweet butterfly mobile to decorate your craft room or give as a special present to a sweet friend who likes butterflies. It’s easy to change the theme and make this mobile for a baby shower or as a wedding decoration. Great for a stamp camp or as a class project.

I love the pink and grey color combo that Monika Davis chose for this project, and you can find her tutorial at Craft Project Central. 

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

Today's MISM project is one that came together easily, and I really, really like it!  I spent all day (really . . . all day) prepping for my upcoming class this Friday, so I was ready to create something when my work was done.  This card features Stampin' Up!'s new In Color paper stack, Good Greetings and I Like You stamp sets, and Hello Honey, Basic Black, and Whisper White card stock.  The stamped image was colored with Stampin' Blendabilities markers (I just love those markers!), and a little sliver of Champagne Glimmer paper added just the right amount of "ahhhhhh".  After coloring the floral image, I scanned it into my Brother Scan n Cut to do the cutting for me.  ;-)  That was another "ahhhhhh" just for me.

WINNER!  WINNER!  WINNER!

With my September 10th blog post (HERE), I offered a one-month FREE subscription to Craft Project Central. The one and only easy requirement to get your name in the drawing was to leave a comment HERE, and I promised to announce the winner today.  I appreciate all of the kind comments and the time each of you took to get entered in the drawing.  And the winner is:

Marion Wilkinson

who wrote, "Oh Regina, I would love to win this month. I love the ensemble and have a few people in mind to give it too. Soooo cute."  Marion, if you'll email me at randari at hotmail dot com, we'll get your subscription started.

 

"FOR ALL THINGS" FALL GIFT SET

This gift set will be a great seasonal surprise for any recipient! The decorative jar is filled with pistachios, but it can be filled with any special treat. The coordinating Kraft Journal, accompanied by a Blackberry Bliss Stampin’ Write Marker, is great for making lists or journaling thoughts, and the coordinating card is a must to top off the gift!

This lovely set was designed by Julie Beltramo, and her tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.

"WONDROUS WREATH"

Stampin' Up!'s Wondrous Wreath stamp set and the coordinating Wonderful Wreath Framelits dies are an awesome bundle of products!  Anxious to create something with these new products, I chose to make a Fall card.  I'm so excited for Fall but, for some reason, changing colors and falling leaves still seem too far away.  I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the pretty window, which was lined with Vellum card stock, and the Brick embossing folder is by Sizzix.  The wreath image was stamped three times, rotating the stamp because I wanted to fill as much of the white space as possible.  A wooden skewer was used to curl the three thin strips of card stock that were adhered to the die-cut bow, and then a flower was punched from Champagne Glimmer paper and placed in the center of the bow to add dimension, which was needed after the curly strips of card stock were added.  To make the embossed brick appear more prominent, I lightly sponged it with Soft Suede ink.  My finishing touch to the wreath was the addition of Gold Glitz Dazzling Details to add random glittery accents to some of the leaves.  Stampin' Up! products featured on this card include:

Card Stock:  Hello Honey, Whisper White, Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie, Blackberry Bliss, Vellum

Ink:  Mossy Meadow, Soft Suede

Stamp Sets:  Wondrous Wreath, Good Greetings

Sizzix:  Wonderful Wreath Framelits

Punch:  Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack (flower)

Accessories:  Linen thread, Champagne Glimmer paper, Gold Glitz Dazzling Details, Stampin' Dimensionals

"SOMETHING FOR BABY" GIFT ENSEMBLE

I'm so excited to share the project that I designed for the September edition of awesome projects at Craft Project Central!  Following is the introduction that I wrote for my project:  

The next time you receive an invitation to a baby shower, just whip up an ensemble like this.  The shadow box frame makes a pretty decoration for a nursery, and the greeting card has an interior pocket to hold an envelope filled with cash or a gift card.

I enjoyed using Stampin' Up!'s Something for Baby bundle to create this project, and the colors that I chose are appropriate for either a boy or girl.  Be sure to visit Craft Project Central and get your September subscription started.  I will be giving a FREE subscription to one lucky person with my Make-It-Snappy-Monday blog post on Monday, September 15th.  To be entered in the drawing, click HERE and leave a comment on the post that features my project.  That's all you have to do!  Don't forget to come back here on the 15th to see if you're the winner.

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

For today's MISM project, I decided to try Craft Project Central's Creating Pretty Cards - Sketch Challenge #39, which was designed by Jacque Craig:

Did you know that for every ten cards submitted for the Sketch Challenge, Craft Project Central will choose one winner who will receive a FREE one-month subscription to the site?  That would be a fun prize!  

Stampin' Up! products featured on my card include:

Stamp Set:  Remembering Your Birthday

Stampin' Classic Pad:  Lost Lagoon

Card Stock:  Lost Lagoon, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Pistachio Pudding

Sizzix:  Large Polka Dot embossing folder, Banners Framelits

Accessories:  Rhinestone jewels, Whisper White 1/4" cotton ribbon, linen thread, paper-piercing tool, Stampin' Pierce Mat, Essentials paper-piercing template, Stampin' Dimensionals, All Abloom DSP stack

Are you ready to create a card for the challenge????  You can find a tutorial and upload your pretty card HERE.

MAD HATTER TEA PARTY DECOR

If you are looking for a unique theme for an upcoming birthday, baby, or wedding shower, this Mad Hatter décor and favor box might be just what you’re looking for!  This set comes with a little playing card matchbox that is just large enough to hold a tea bag for each guest, a Mad Hatter’s hat, and a tea cup full of red, white, and “painted” red roses (to mimic the line from the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland: “Who has been painting my roses red?”).

This festive and creative project was designed by Melissa, and her complete tutorial is available at Craft Project Central.

TRASH TO TREASURE

I love trash-to-treasure projects, and that's probably because I hate to throw away anything that seems like it could be a treasure.  Ha!  Somehow I knew that I would one day find a good use for all of the Starbuck's bottles that I have saved, and it's past time to find a good use for them because my son brings them in (unopened, of course, and filled with the beverage that he finds delicious) as if stores give them away.  I have a hard time throwing away glass containers.  I know I could send them to recycle, but . . . I might could also use them myself, right?  My chalk-painted, twine-wrapped bottle was 100% inspired by one that was pictured in a Michael's ad that recently landed in my inbox.  It sent me on a mission to purchase some paint, and choosing two colors (all that I would allow myself to buy) was the absolute hardest part!  I visited my parents and grandmother yesterday and, when I saw the pretty flowers that daddy had brought for me, I knew that I must get a bottle painted and decorated right away.

The photos were taken with my phone, so the quality isn't too good--sorry about that.  This was quite an easy project, though.  I just taped off the area that I didn't want to paint (not too easy to do on a roundish object), put two or three layers of paint, and then lightly sanded a few areas.  Around the top of the bottle, I tied some twine and slipped on a little key charm before finishing with a bow.  Easy peasy!  I'm working on another bottle now that will have a neat feature--if all goes well--and I will share a photo of it when complete.

"FLASHBACK" MINI BOOK SET

This Flashback Mini Book Set can be filled with your favorite moments, favorite quotes or favorite thoughts!  This set features a mini book, a protective box to hold your book, and a coordinating card for that special someone!  Use this set yourself or gift it to someone special!

Isn't this a bright, colorful ensemble?  Michelle designed it, and her complete tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.  There's an awesome project line-up again this month, and now is a perfect time to get your subscription started.

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

Boxes aren't always the quickest projects, but this Curvy Keepsake box is definitely quick and easy--and oh, so cute!!!!!!  It's the kind of box that you just can't wait to get your hands on and, when you make one, its simplicity (to assemble, decorate, close, and open) almost makes you want to squeal.  My box features the following Stampin' Up! products:

Card Stock:  Whisper White

Stamp Sets:  Flower Shop, Work of Art

Ink:  Coastal Cabana

Punches:  Pansy, Scalloped Tag Topper

Accessories:  White Baker's twine, In Color 2013-2015 DSP Stack

FALL SCHOOL SUPPLY SET

This fun Fall school supply set will brighten any student’s day! It includes a cork board for a locker, a bookmark, a mini notebook, and a matching card.

Yapha Mason designed this handy locker project, and her tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.